So this fits. Years ago it would be stated with great certainty that our lathe was from 1850. As it turned out no one seemed to know the basis for this and we decided that was simply wrong. Only problem was the only dated illustrations I could find were circa 1880's and later, mainly from Cope.
Then we did come in to possession of a smaller and clearly older New Haven. It had a rise and fall cross slide. As I recall rather than half nuts there is a nut fixed to the lead screw that can be latched or unlatched from the carriage, little uncertain of this. This machine is in storage and not readily accessible.
One cosmetic difference seems to be that in the circa 1880's lathes the maker's name is cast into the front of the headstock; on ours and at least one of the ones shown earlier in this thread, it's on the back of the tailstock.
My notes show I measured the swing on ours at 30 inches; the bed is 24 feet long.
The illustration shows a "compound like object" mounted on the headstock end of the front saddle wing. A year or so ago I found what I believe to be the one for our New Haven sitting on a nearby work bench. I haven't tried mounting it.
Ours has powered cross feed driven by a keyway in the lead screw. Power longitudinal feed is done by engaging the half nuts, just like the 12" Atlas!
David
I remember seeing a number of years ago about the Knight Foundry New Haven lathe being from the 1850's. I knew that was wrong.
I would very much like to see any pictures of this other New Haven lathe that is in storage.
It sounds interesting and possibly very early.
I have seen the rise and fall on New Haven lathes, but the lead screw with a fixed nut would make it early.
They had the rise and fall into the 1860's, but with more modern aprons.
This would be a lathe with no apron or the modern apron as we know it.
Yes, the later New Haven lathes had the makers name on the headstock.
The early ones had it on the tailstock.
Also the early ones did not say "Makers" on it. The later ones did.
Are you sure about the 30" swing? Mine is also a 30" swing with 11' centers.
Yours looks larger than mine. You can see pictures of mine in posts #21 and #22 in this thread.
Mine sits on higher legs.
Measure it from this tailstock and at this angle. See attached picture.
If yours is a 30" swing, then it is probably a few years newer than mine.
Yes, the auxiliary tool post. Quite common for large swing lathes of that period.
I don't have one for my New Haven lathe. I have one for my David Pond lathe.
Here is one on a late 1860's Niles lathe. This one is built in and not removeable.
This was used when turning large diameter parts that would almost touch the bed ways and
would not fit in between, as Joe calls them, the saddle horns.
I would like to see a picture of that auxiliary tool post.
Mine has power cross feed too, with the outside gears on the apron.
Rob
